


Play Free Bird

by Catharrington



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Bisexual Steve Harrington, M/M, Original Character(s), Protective Billy Hargrove, Single Parent AU, Teacher Steve Harrington, Trans Billy Hargrove
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:35:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24402154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Catharrington/pseuds/Catharrington
Summary: Billy isn’t used to being a dad, quite yet. Isn’t used to a lot of the changes happening all at once in his life. His 10 year old daughter Rose is just like him; with blue eyes, curly hair, and a rage that makes her want to break things. Billy is trying to keep her out of detention. He might have to take up an offer of help from Rose’s English teacher, Steve Harrington, if Billy doesn’t get too distracted by his pretty face in the process.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington
Comments: 10
Kudos: 130





	Play Free Bird

The office is musty and smells like woman’s perfume. Billy leans forward in the squeaky old chair, pushing his hands against his forehead and holding them there for a second to cover his face, before he dragged them over his messy bun to cup the back of his neck. He made eye contact with the principal again, her green eyes the color of snake skin.  
“I’m afraid this behavior just won’t be tolerated at our school, Mr. Hargrove.” Billy smirked as she spoke. Nodding along with her, licking the sharpest of his canine teeth as he thought of a reply. 

“I’m sorry, I don’t think we are on the same page here, Mrs. Dawson.” He spoke slowly, sounding pointed, “My daughter was getting bullied and she-,”

“Rose struck another student!”

“Was defending herself is what I hear.” Their words overlapped. Billy watches as her lips suck into her mouth in a wicked thin line, and it would make him laugh if he wasn’t so pissed off. 

“The student is in the nurse office with a cut lip, blood all down his chin and throat. It made quite the scene for the other 4th grade students in her class. And I’m afraid that sort isn’t tolerated.” She shook her head in disappointment, her tight cropped hair style hardly moved with all the hairspray. 

Billy took a deep breath to not yell too loud. “That sort? Are you meaning the bullying and horrible words Rose has to deal with every single day from these,” pausing to consider a word that wasn’t a curse, “rats? Is that what you won’t tolerate? Because that kid is lucky he’s only sportin’ a split lip-,”

“Mr. Hargrove!” She yelps, caws like a bird. “Has it occurred to you physical altercations are much more dangerous for a child than words?” 

Leaning back in the chair again, hearing it squeak almost breaking under his weight, and Billy can’t begin to describe how well versed he is on that subject. He simply knits his brows together and says, “no,” hard as he can. 

She tilts her head. “Rose has detention. For a week! For what has happened. My mind is not going to change, Mr. Hargrove. One can only hope this will teach her a lesson.” 

Then she waves her hand as if to dismiss him. Billy has half the mind to stay right where he’s sitting. Holding tight on the arms of the chair and not letting go until security brings out a pair of pliers. 

But he does let go, his fingers squeaking with their own rust, and heads out of the office. 

Rose was sitting hunched down in one of the hallway’s lined up chairs designated for waiting. Her blond curls were pinned between the angry press of her head and the yellowed upholstery. Billy wanted to smirk when he noticed she had slipped on the aviator glasses he left with his jacket, but he frowned when he noticed another man crouching in front of her. His hand on one of the chair arms and another pushing through his thick head of dark hair. 

“Rosie,” Billy calls out, and both turn to face him. 

“Oh, Mr. Hargrove!” The man stands up. He looks young, must be around Billy’s own age. Young and chipper as his face turns up in a weak smile. “I’m Mr. Harrington. Well- call me Steve. Rose is one of the best students in my class and I- I heard about what happened...,” he trails off, his face sobering. 

Rose stands up from the chair in a huff. Crossing her arms and wearing those glasses, she resembles less like a 10 year old and more like Billy on his bad days. “Nothing happened,” she scoffed. 

Steve watched Rose and her thorny attitude with a fondness in his big brown eyes that made Billy’s stomach grip. “Rose,” he says so softly. “It’s okay-,”

“Can we go now, dad?” Rose interrupted him, her curls spinning as she collected Billy’s jacket from the chair and bunched it against her chest. Billy nods at her, doesn’t much know what to say, and she takes that as an okay to spin around and walk off. Going to follow her when Billy gets stopped by a hand on his bicep. He turns to see Steve chewing his bottom lip, flicking his gaze around before he meets Billy’s. 

“Rose is a bright student; but I think she’s driving down a road she’ll have a hard time coming back from.” 

Billy studies Steve’s face, his chocolate eyes boiling with worry. Pleading with his long fingers digging into Billy’s thin shirt. But Billy bites his words back. Doesn't say what he wants. “Noted.” Then he shrugs out of the grip. 

Rose is scrunched down in the seat of his Camaro the same way she was in the waiting room. Now the aviators are pushed up into her wild hair. Billy’s own matches, not too wild now pulled back into a bun, but typically they share the same lion’s mane. Only difference is his mustache filling out his top lip, matched sometimes with an unshaven 5 o’clock shadow. 

“Let’s go get some greasy food,” he says as he revs up the engine. 

***

The first day of detention isn’t bad, Billy hopes. He’s leaned against the drivers door of his Camaro in the same line up of a few other parents and watching the closed school doors with arms crossed. Then, with a shove into the waxing afternoon sunlight, and a breathy open mouthed smile, Steve pushes the doors open. 

Billy didn’t think he’d see the teacher again until another incident. Until Rose was getting kicked out of school. But he watches as Steve’s eyes drift across the lot and land right on him. And the guy has the gull to be smug about it. 

Rose is the last one out in the short line of children. She takes the steps two at a time, itching to move. Steve is behind her and doesn’t have to jump steps to keep up thanks to his long and slender legs. 

“Dad!” Rose calls with a pitch in her voice. “Detention sucks!” 

“Oh come on, don’t say that? I was there?” Before Billy can reply Steve gives his own sheepish response. 

“You were reading a book?” She slows down her walking to turn over her shoulder at him. 

“You were reading a book too,” they stop in front of Billy still arguing, Steve with a joking smile and his hands on his hips. “It was fun. Like a book club.”

“Book clubs suck,” Rose bites back. 

Steve fakes hurt; his hand pressing to his chest and a short gasp. “Ouch, that is so unfair!”  
Billy notices she lets out a small giggle before curling it down into another frown. 

Then she ducks her head into the low door of the Camaro and slams it shut. The noise makes Billy jump, already readying the words on his tongue he’s going to scold her with, but he’s distracted by Steve standing in front of him. His hands still on his slender hips. 

They watch each other, nervously and searching, before Billy clears his throat. “Didn’t know you would be the lucky sod getting stuck with detention duty,” he prods. 

Steve shrugs. “I’m usually loitering around the place- to coach baseball! Not just randomly loitering, that would be weird. It’s out of season now so I have time. I actually volunteered.” Billy can’t stop the grin forming over his straight white teeth as he listens to Steve stumble over his words. Then at the last Billy raises his brow. 

“Volunteered?” He repeats. 

“Hmm,” Steve hums out an agreement, his lips puckering softly. Pouty. Billy makes the effort to stop looking at them. 

“Well, that’s just great,” Billy starts most professionally, “whatever your reasons, thanks for getting Rose to read. She’s not... the best at reading.” He kept his voice a little down for that last bit. Doesn’t want to anger the spitting image of himself. 

Steve only nods again. His joking smirk he’s been wearing the whole time melts into something a softer, Billy can’t exactly fathom why. 

“Noted,” Steve says with a point of one of his thin fingers up towards the sky. 

Billy scoffs at him, shaking his head at the call back to their earlier shorter conversation. But he can’t shake off the growing grin or blush. Billy quickly turns away, climbs into his car and starts the loud engine, giving Steve a wave only once there’s a window between them. 

Take out for dinner is all Billy has the strength for that night. The garage he worked at dragged his shift longer than they should have, adding on one more tire rotation, one more inspection, just an oil change before you go. 

And when he finally clocked out he was rewarded with a phone call from his Ex. The plastic of the phone digging into his ear and neck as he held it pinned with his shoulder so he could clean off the dining room table as best he could. 

Rose sets the plates down. Listening in when she knows she shouldn’t, but it’s hard. Especially hard for the 10 year old when not once is the phone requested to be passed to her. 

Billy gets hanged up on with a sharp click, but he turns to Rose with a smile and a shrug. It’s starting to become normal. 

As they are eating, Billy working hard with his chopsticks and Rose simply spinning a fork into her paper Chinese takeout container, Billy lets his curiosity win. “So which, uh, which class does Steve teach?” 

It’s embarrassing. Billy knows he missed orientation at the first of the school year and he’s never been invited to any conferences. It’s fine with him if Rose looses the signature papers. For a long time it wasn’t his job to care. Now he felt like he was missing out on something, letting Rose down with how much he missed. 

“Mr. Harrington,” Rose says with a mouthful of noodles. She chews and swallows. Thinks about her reply, Billy notices. “He’s my language arts teacher. Real snooty with books and deeper meanings and junk.”

Billy laughs at her drawn up snarl. Then he catches himself and sets his chop sticks down with a click. “Doesn’t come off to me as snooty. And that’s no way to talk about a teacher, Rose. He seems to genuinely care about you-,”

“No one cares about me, dad. I’m the school freak,” she says it in a low exhale, almost a whisper. 

“You ain’t a freak,” Billy gets it out sharp and quick because it’s obviously wrong, so, so wrong for her to think that. “Those kids are ugly bullies and that principal is an old hag who caws like a crow, and you are not a freak!”

Rose keeps her food in a glare, but it slowly, ever so slowly, melts into a cheeky grin. 

“You really just called Mrs. Dawson an old hag?” She chuckles out. 

“If the crooked beak fits?” Billy shrugged, giving his own sharp grin. A mock of how violent he was back in his own school days. 

Sure insults might not be the best adult move, but Rose is smiling and laughing. Continues to eat her food without a scowl on her face. It’s enough to make Billy’s shitty life experiences all worth it. 

“So tell me about this book club you and Mr. Harrington have going on?” Billy asks. 

Rose rolls her eyes. “Oh my gosh, why?”

“Maybe I want to join? I happen to actually like books!” Billy fakes a hurt look, similar to the one Steve gave her earlier. 

Rose levels him with bright blue untrusting eyes, before she sighs. “It’s this series he let me borrow. And like- it’s a little lame so don’t say anything, dad! But I really like it. Mr. Harrington said I reminded him of the cat protagonist so he suggested it to me today.” 

Billy’s heart softens, then he catches what she said. “Wait,” he tilts his head, “cat?”

“Yeah, dad. It’s a whole book series about warrior cats. It’s super cool!”

Billy just lets her start explaining the plot, describing a tenacious cat who was in some ways similar to her, and nods along as he slurps noodles. “Amazing,” he hums. 

***

Tuesday rolls by and he’s picking Rose up from detention same time well into the afternoon. Steve pushes the door open just like before. He’s sporting a cream colored cardigan over a dark brown dress shirt and to Billy he looks like a mocha frappe with the whipped cream on top being his perfectly styled long hair. Steve follows rose up to the Camaro and is ready with a delicious smile. 

“Warrior cats?” Billy greets, letting the words come off his tongue with a roll like cigarette smoke. 

Steve blushes, actually blushes, and shrugs it off. “Cats are rad,” he laughs. “I’m happy to hear she talked with you about it. Rose has for sure gotten better with open dialogue with us both, I think she’s well on her way to relaxing all her pent up anger.”

“Oh my God! Nerd talk!” Rose threw her hands up, dramatically sighing, spinning around once just to prove a point. Then she pointed a glare at Steve as she rounded to the passengers side of a Camaro. 

“So she’s doing better with her attitude, huh?” Billy and Steve watches as she tucks herself tight down into the seat, arms folded over her chest. 

When Billy turns back to look at Steve he’s watching her with fondness. “Yeah, I believe she is.”

Billy loses his breath for a moment. That wasn’t behavior for fondness; that was a sour brat who acted far too similar to Billy at that age. All fury and fists and nowhere to put it so you start making places. You start picking fights and busting holes in the walls. Billy didn’t know how to stop himself- still found himself punching walls on his worst days. So he was going to ride this teenage angst out with a tight lipped grimace and hope to God it evaporates in time. 

He never felt this behavior deserved fondness, deserved a teacher’s attention or care. He never received that. He only won detention with his victories in school brawls. Not someone like Steve. 

Billy sucked down a long breath, wished he could smoke still. Instead, he gets a lung full of mocha frappe he exhales slowly. 

“You know,” he starts in a low voice, “I’m not the best and brightest dad. It’s not easy to fill this space- to make everything normal. So this, this uh, dialogue... really means a lot. It’s something I need to get better at.” 

Steve watches him with eyes as deep brown as his coffee colored shirt. Watches him like reading a book. Then nudges out a gentle smile. “Normal doesn’t always work. I’ve found what makes you not normal, makes you strongest as a family and as a person.” Then Steve reaches his hand out to press against the sleeve of Billy’s warm leather jacket, pushing just enough to feel his fingertips indent. “And I’ve found trying is the most important thing a person can ever do.” 

Billy’s jaw bones hurt with how tightly he’s working them. Biting and chewing all the words he wants to spit out. He swallows a thank you in his throat, opens his mouth to say some biting reply, when the horn interrupts him. 

Pulling his hand back, Steve turns just as Billy does to look at the Camaro. Rose is leaning over the center console with a very mature comedic gag face. Billy huffs before turning to get into the car on request. 

“See you tomorrow, Steve,” he says sweetly. 

“Bye Mr. Harrington!” Rose calls. 

Steve waves at them as they go before crossing his arms over his chest, while Billy’s chest fells the heaviest it’s felt in a while. 

***

Wednesday finds Billy is having another long day, this one turning out to be more challenging than he figured. A car had come in with one problem, a simple fix, surely. When a new hire breaks two things with his clumsy hands digging around blind under the hood. Billy wasn’t flattered when he was taken from his own repair job to come fix the mess. He was the shops expert with vintage difficult cars and this one was far too expensive not to allow the customer to leave with anything but a sparkling review. 

It was 30 minutes until Billy has to pick Rose up from detention and he’s got a classic Chevy half torn out, three spot lights pointed down into its guts, and his mechanic overalls unzipped and tied down around his waist to let his naked chest breath. 

The shop is almost closed and almost empty. From the parking lot there’s a quick screeching of tires right outside the closed garage doors. Billy can’t see outside as well as he would like. He’s standing up and trying to catch a glimpse of the car when someone calls out his name. 

“Bill!” It’s the owner, a lumbering biker of a man with a Mickey Mouse tattoo and who’s wife ran the front desk, and he calls Billy’s name three times before he turns the corner. 

Steve is standing with his hands on the metal desk, his chest heaving under his preppy long sleeve polo shirt. He turns to see Billy and does a double take. It’s flattering how wide his eyes go. Billy hams it up only lightly, rolling his shoulder and wiping the back of his hand across his sweaty forehead to make his well worked muscles flex without being too inconspicuous. 

Then his confidence falters as he watches Steve’s eyes follow the line of sweat dripping down the length of his throat and end on the bulbous pink and white scars under his pecs. Steve focuses his eyes there for a long moment, Billy has lots he wants to say but struggles with holding it back.

“Mr. Hargrove,” Steve says just as he comes back up to eye contact, “sorry to barge in, I- I,” he swallows stiffly, “class was released early and I brought Rose with me,” he finishes. 

Billy is confused thoroughly, until he notices how hurried the other’s actions are. How his fingers play notes on a piano against the metal of the desk top. Billy instantly feels his stomach churn. 

He doesn’t say anything. Just throws the rag he was uselessly scrubbing the grease on his hands with to the ground and leads them both outside. 

He finds a glossy red BMW parked off center of the closest lot and a mess of long blond hair and curled up 4th grader sitting on the hood. She’s wearing a navy blue cardigan pulled tightly around herself that she didn’t wear out of the house that morning.

“Rose,” Steve is jogging to catch up, a stern tone in his breathy voice, “didn’t I say wait in the car while I got your dad?” 

She only turns her head back down to the ground. Billy reaches her with a tentative hand on her bent knee, almost flinches away when the fabric of her jeans feels wet. 

“What happened?” Billy asks. 

Steve is watching Rose, his rapid breathing evened out. Another look on his face Billy didn’t expect, sympathy. Neither reply for a long enough time for Billy to ask again, finally jarring Steve to speak up. 

“Those same kids got it in their mind to... follow her.” His words are slow and gentle but each word feels like a punch to Billy’s gut. Rose flinches on the hood, pulls the cardigan closer around her shoulders. “She was walking to the bathroom when- luckily I heard them. Heard her, really. They were running before I reached her but I know their names, and I’ll file the proper reports. I just don’t know...,” if it will do anything to make a change goes without saying for the respect of company. But Billy knows. 

Billy takes one step forward and crouches to get a look at Rose’s downcast face. Steve takes a step backwards for them. 

“Hey, Rosie,” Billy starts. “How’s my little flower growing today?” 

The words aren’t quite what they used to be, said a long time ago with a different voice. But they make Rose crack a faint smile so they’re perfect. 

“Shut up, dad,” she laughs wet, her lips glossy and eyes red from crying. 

Billy stands his full height, runs a hand over her messy hair. “Want to tell me about what happened?” 

It’s small when she shakes her head, but she does. Insistent on being stubborn. The whole world is against her, even if there are two people standing right by her side. Still, Billy doesn’t argue. He pets her hair again comfortingly. 

“I want to go home,” she begs. Her voice just as small as the shake of her head. Billy doesn’t know to cry or break something. Goes instead with a sharp nod, motioning her towards their Camaro parked not far away. 

She jumps down from Steve’s car and goes to shrug off the cardigan around her shoulders. Holding it in a ball, she hands it back to Steve. Her eyes still on the ground. But Steve only pushes her hands back against her chest. Telling her in not so many words it’s her’s to keep. 

Billy notices the way Rose’s tshirt is wet on the front and sticking to her body, giving her goosebumps in the cold air. 

Billy’s own body feels so cold suddenly. The scars on his chest feel raw. But he doesn’t move to cover them up, only moves to place his hands over Rose’s shoulders and lead her forward. 

Steve stays loitering for a moment, his arms wrapping tight around his waist to fight the cold now without a cardigan. And his hair messy but still somehow perfect in the fading afternoon sun. Billy nods at him once over his shoulder before Steve gets the hint and drives away. 

Soon, it grows dark outside and Billy doesn’t have as many lights on the apartment as he usually does by this time. Rose came home, took a hot shower, and closed the door to her bedroom. Didn’t say much, didn’t eat dinner. Billy would be worried if he didn’t completely understand her need for space. 

Billy is sitting on the couch, showered and changed himself, when the phone rings. He stands up and takes his beer with him to answer it. 

“Hargrove,” he mutters. 

“Hey- uh, hello,” a timid voice says back. Billy recognizes it and the cute stutter as Steve. “I’m sorry to call I just, wanted to talk.”

“Steve,” Billy blows his name out curly as smoke. “No. Thanks for calling. Rose hasn’t spoken a damn word to me all night.”

“I imagine so. Those kids were cruel, just downright bastards to her today. I’m sorry I let that happen.”

“Ain’t your fault,” Billy says. Wants to laugh at how they both slipped into curse words, but doesn’t feel it right to. “Can you fill me in a little more?” 

Steve hums before answering. “Yeah, of course. Heads up: I’m sure you are going to get called into a meeting with the principal when my reports get received. But I’m also sure you knew that.” 

Billy grunts an affirmative, rolling his eyes even if Steve can’t see. 

“Alright,” another hum, “it happened really fast. She needed to use the bathroom so I gave her the hall pass. Then only a minute later- not even a minute, God. I hear her just screaming, yelling so loudly. I rush out the room and that’s how I found her. They had used a bucket from the janitor’s closet to splash her with dirty mop water. My guess is they hid in the closet and waited either until she had to use the bathroom or until she was leaving.” He stops there, his words until then were rushed and nervous. 

Steve takes a breath. “I wish I was there for her,” he exhales. 

“You were,” Billy assures him, “you really were. And, Steve, you have been there maybe more than I have for Rose.” 

“That’s not possible, you’re her dad. And you really care- I can tell these things. Being a teacher and all,” Steve gives a weak laugh. 

Billy laughs back, just as weak. “Yeah, this is just... new. So new. Everything is so different than it was last year. I’m trying to care. I’m trying like hell to be there and help her.” Billy focuses down on the empty beer can on the counter, and the couple more next to it. They are traitors. Supposed to make him feel better but now all he feels is loose lipped, spilling his guts to Steve who he doesn’t even know. 

“It’s clear to me you care very, very much for her,” Steve says. “I can’t imagine what your family is going through. But- from having her in my class, I’ve leaned shes a smart young girl. And from babysitting her in detention I’ve learned that she’s got a serious adoration for her father.” 

Billy tries to catch his breath but Steve doesn’t stop talking. “A strong amazing father she doesn’t stop talking about once you get her started. The first day I noticed her struggle with focusing on her assigned homework so I innocently asked her about home- and yeah, mistake on my part,” Steve giggles, “because I learned all about your cool car and your cool jackets, and the way you never back down from a fight. Oh- and how you always stay unapologetically yourself.” 

Billy’s toes curl in his socks. There’s a lump in his throat that tastes like a rock someone spilt Budweiser on, not wet enough to go down so it just sits and poisons him. He doesn’t reply, doesn’t say thanks or shit to Steve, just starts remembering how his pretty brown eyes lingered on his top reduction surgery scars for a second too long. 

“Rose is calling me, I’ve got to go,” he chokes the words out and slams his plastic phone back into the wall receiver hard enough to crack. 

The kitchen plunges into silence. Rose is sleeping. Billy wishes he could sleep now too, but he’s reaching for another beer before he thinks too hard. 

***

He does crawl off the couch he crashed on to get Rose to school Thursday. On the way, his head is aching, throbbing between his brows, but he can’t stop thinking about Steve. Can’t stop thinking about last nights call. 

“Hey, Rosie,” he turns down the knob of his radio a smidge, Metallica almost fading out under the growl of the cars engine. “I talked to Ste- Mr. Harrington over the phone last night. He said you... bragged about me to him?”

Rose was watching him, leaned forward with her fingers curling and uncurling in the hem of an old shirt she hand tye dyed earlier in the summer. Then she shrugged, as if it wasn’t a big deal. “Like sorry if you don’t want me talking about you, dad. I can stop?”

“Nah, that ain’t it. It’s more, I guess I’m asking why you’ve got this... open dialogue with him?” Billy used air quotes to repeat his words. 

Rose giggled, “well he makes me that’s one reason, but mostly he’s nice. He actually listens to me. Not like those other teachers who don’t give a damn-,”

“Language!” Billy snapped at her. She simply rolled her eyes, kicked out her feet on the interior of the car a bit to make a noise. 

The road eats away. They are getting close to the school now. Rose is following the street signs out the front windshield. “And he’s just like me,” she adds on. Billy flicks her a confused look but stays silent. “He’s dyslexic too. Told me about it Monday. Said: reading might be hard but that’s okay because lots of things in life are hard and we do them anyway.” 

Billy looked her in the eye as they pull up to the school drop off. He almost flinches when he sees the same color of blue looking back at him. Wonders has she always been this amazing, or is this something he made? Then she kisses his cheek goodbye. 

He wants like Hell to skip work after that but forces himself to struggle though his cloudy hangover. After all, he’s a cool dad who’s so cool. He’s got a lot to live up too. 

When he picks rose up he’s leaned against the Camaro in the same way, maybe a little limper with how tired he feels, except this time he’s got his blacked out aviator glasses perched on his nose.  
Steve pushes the door open the same way. Follows Rose the same way, but his face is off kilter. His fingers tightly griping around the same cream colored cardigan. 

“My reports of yesterday have been filed,” he greets timidly, just as timid as his body language. “The principal asked me to cuff ya and bring ya in, wants to chat.” 

The phrasing would made Billy laugh if his head wasn’t swimming so much. He groaned, kicking off the Camaro, and pointed to the leather passenger seat. “Sit and stay, Rose. I’ll be right back.” 

“Jesus, dad! I’m not a dog!” Rose shoots back as she drops down into the seat. Closing the car door with a thunk. 

Steve leads Billy back up towards the school, holding the swinging white doors open with a coy smile. Billy doesn’t take his sunglasses off when he gets inside. Only remembers the hallways from the one or two times he’s been in here. He follows Steve easily enough, even with his dark glasses and slugging feet. The hallway turns and Steve leads down a longer one. Nowhere does it read principal or offices. 

“Steve,” Billy calls after him walking a little farther up, “where are you taking me, officer?” 

He gets only a snort up above him, Steve’s fluffy long hair bouncing with each step. Then he stops in front of one door. Pushing it open easy and nodding his head inside for Billy to follow. 

Catching just a glimpse of the golden text on the door reading ‘Harrington 055’, Billy slides past Steve, taking care not to touch the hem of his cardigan. 

He removes his glasses to look around. The room is simple, clean white paint on each wall, and decorated sparsely with glossy laminated photos of classic authors. Goofy little scroll text is tacked up under each poster with quotes. Above the chalk board is a longer larger one that quotes Tolkien. Not all that glitters is gold, not all who wonder are lost, Billy’s read the book once maybe. Back when he had the time to read. Now he scoffs at the words, turning around to see Steve who is fumbling with opening a window. 

And God, does he look good. Sitting on a window ledge that runs the full length of one wall. There’s books lined on the ledge and a few potted plants. The largest one a barely budding rose bush that looks too big for its clay pot. Steve’s hair blows with the cold air coming in through the window. Billy watches him, his mouth going dry, as Steve pulls out a pack of smokes from his dress slacks and smiles. 

“Hope this is okay?” He plucks one and bites it between his bow shaped lips. “Not proud I’ve got a dirty habit, but helps the stress of having so many kids.” 

Billy slips the sunglasses up his head to tangle in his blond curls. He sits down on the window ledge next to Steve, their knees knocking together in the streams of sunlight. “Don’t mind much. Might be nice to smell the smoke. I had to kick it when Rose was born.” 

Steve nodded as he took a long drag. Turning his head to blow the smoke out the window respectfully as he can. “You're strong to do that.” He muses. Billy doesn’t reply. Can’t find words. Keeps his eyes unfocused like the blurry sunlight. 

“I’m sorry to lie like that,” Steve keeps talking, “but I wanted to let you know on Rose’s school records her emergency contact is her father. I- ah, I made the mistake yesterday of calling him first.”

Billy’s jaw creaked as he bit down. “How was that?” 

Steve blew another puff. “He’s... a real asshole.” 

A moment of silence ticked tocked by before they melted into gentle laugher. Trying to not make the seriousness of it serious. 

Steve leaned his head back with a long sigh and continued. “He said Rose’s schooling isn’t his responsibility anymore. Told me to call her mother. I wasn’t sure what he meant by that- until Rose told me your work address and...,” his quiet voice trailed off. 

Billy tried not to notice how long Steve’s neck was bared right next to him. Focused on the embarrassment of his Ex instead of the pretty teacher. Searched the dirt particles floating through the air before setting on the collar of his dress shirt. Pressed and white and folded over his creamy neck perfectly. 

“Last year I decided to change my name to William. Then I started making steps to change my gender completely.” Billy starts. Steve stayed quiet. Just his soft breath going in and out. Billy could taste the smoke on the air and can see the crushed beer cans from last night clearly. Feel the headache they left, and an ache for something else he’s been dealing with a lot longer than half a day. 

He lets out a shaky breath, then spills his guts. “Rose wasn’t planned. I was just out of high school, and he was much older. He knew I didn’t really want her, but he insisted he could make us a family. Convinced me as long as I had her and stayed married to him he would pay for everything I could want, and take care of us. He didn’t care that I lifted weights and worked on cars through the pregnancy. As long as I let myself be his. The whole marriage felt like a damn cage.” 

Billy paused as he considered the last bit. But this would make Steve understand the phone call he had. So Billy furrows his brows and continued. “I legally changed my name to William and told him about my transition in that order. He filed for a divorce the same day. 9 years. And he dropped me the same day. Told me to take Rosie when I moved out because he didn’t want the reminder of a failed marriage.” 

Steve had flicked the butt of his smoke out the window a while ago. Was listening completely to Billy’s ramblings with the deepest set of chocolate eyes he’s ever seen. 

When their gaze met, their breath caught in sync. Then Steve’s hand slowly moved to squeeze Billy’s knee, rubbing him assuredly and comforting him in a way that felt intimate. Billy gulped. Looked away. 

“You’re very strong. Just like Rose described,” Steve whispered. His voice no louder than the chittering of birds and far away voices out the window. 

“God, Steve,” Billy groans, his heart feeling more swollen and exposed than his chest scars yesterday. “I mean she’s luckier to have a teacher who actually gives a fuck, y’know?”

Steve takes his hand back, much to Billy’s relief and disappointment, to tighten the lapels of his cardigan around himself. Bashfulness looks so good on his high cheek bones. “That’s the reason I became a teacher!” He sang. “They need someone in their corner and I’m more than happy to help all I can.” 

“Wish I had a teacher like you growing up,” Billy smirks. Loves the way Steve shrugs when he receives the compliment. 

“Me too,” he leans forward and widens his eyes with a giggle. “God, me too.”

Billy watches him and wants so badly to run his hands through that wild head of hair, to grab the hands clutching his cardigan and feel their warmth, to pull him into a kiss so he can taste that soft smile. Instead, Billy plucks his sun glasses from his head and replaces them on his nose. 

“Rose is still waiting for me outside,” he reminds him. 

Steve seems a little stunned. His pretty smile faltering on his pretty face. Billy doesn’t want to watch it fall more so he stands up to wait by the classroom door. The window gets shut, and Steve’s shrugging on a stuffed messenger bag before he joins Billy by the door. 

“Sorry for kidnapping you, Mr. Hargrove,” he admits meekly as he steps out into the hallway and flips the lock behind him. 

“Don’t be sorry. And come on, Steve, call me Billy.” He’s got his hands stuffed down in his pockets so he doesn’t reach out and touch. But he still can’t fight the way Steve is so easy to fall in love with as he does nothing but nod and listen and care. 

“Okay, Billy,” his name sounds warm and creamy dripping off Steve’s lips, brewed with the coffee color of Steve’s eyes that linger sweet as his hand had against Billy’s knee. 

They pause together at the door to the school. Lingering and waiting while at the same time neither moving. Then a sharp honk makes Billy jump into the air. He hates how Steve’s laugh at his jump doesn’t even make him mad, just makes him like the other more. 

“That’s my cue,” he groans. Flicks a wave over his shoulder in the most casual way he can. Doesn’t watch Steve hesitate for a second before waking to his own car. 

Inside the Camaro, Rose has her nose stuck in her book. Billy notices the art of a grouping of cats on the cover for a second before she shoves it back into her book bag. 

They don’t talk while Billy drives. Not until they are halfway home and then Rose simply asks, “Mr. Harrington?” 

Billy doesn’t reply. But she’s chewing on her lips in thought, like his reply isn’t needed. “You know the principal stopped by detention and said goodbye forever ago. I know he wasn’t there for a meeting or whatever.” 

Billy still doesn’t reply, grips the wheel and wishes he picked a place to live closer to school. 

“So, Mr. Harrington?” she repeats. 

“Don’t you have homework?” he snaps. Yanking the car into their designated spot and almost running to the apartment steps without a reply. 

***

Friday afternoon and it’s the last day of detention. Rose was excited to give back her book that she stayed up late to finish the night before. Said she hopes it makes Steve happy. Billy fake rolled his eyes at the time. Yet now, as he waits for the doors to be pushed open, he hopes more than anything Steve is happy. 

Then the door is opening, and the cluster of kids run out and part to their parents, and Steve is there smiling. Rose goes straight to the car. Billy almost doesn’t notice her he’s so far gone just watching Steve walk up. 

He’s wearing a clean pair of heather brown slacks, straight down his long legs making them go on for miles, and a burgundy shirt tucked into his belt. The top two buttons are open. And Billy doesn’t stop himself from counting the moles that go down his throat. Not this time, Billy’s strong but he’s not strong enough under the tease of his silky skin. 

“Last day?” Steve interrupts his fantasy as Billy wicks his vision up to meet Steve’s eyes. 

“Oh, yeah. She’s free as a bird after this,” he laughs. 

They shuffle around, both have their hands shoved in their pockets. Billy wants to talk. And Steve is fidgeting with his pockets like he wants to talk too, keeps tight lipped though. 

Then Rose groans from where she’s hopped up on the hood. Her long blond hair going everywhere as he shakes herself in exasperation. “Just ask him on a date already, dad!” She yells. 

“Shut it, Rosie!” Billy spins on her with a pointed finger. 

Steve laughs musically before covering it with his hands, yet doesn’t stop laughing from between his fingers. And he doesn’t move, doesn’t leave. Stands there and watches as Billy blushes hard enough to turn his big ears left bare from his hair being tied up in a bun bright red. Doesn’t leave as Billy turns back around and gathers the words in his mouth. Licking his lips as he sorts them out.  
Steve drops his hands from his mouth, keeps the pretty smile. 

Billy takes a breath and asks, “are you free for dinner tomorrow night?” 

“Yeah,” Steve runs his hand through his hair and tucks it behind an ear. “Yeah, dinner sounds amazing, Billy.”

**Author's Note:**

> Wanted to put in the summary: Or the 5 days Rose has detention, and the 1 day Billy has a date. But I didn’t want to give away the end!  
> I hope y’all like this! Happy Trans Billy Week~~~ please let me know how I did? I’ve never written a trans character before :)


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